The present invention relates to parts ordering systems. It finds particular application in conjunction with on-site parts ordering systems within an e-commerce environment and will be described with particular reference thereto. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention is also amenable to other like applications.
Large items (e.g., industrial products and/or machinery) are typically serviced on-site (i.e., in the field). During a service call, service technicians frequently discover that the products being serviced require replacement components. Conventionally, service personnel determine replacement components requirements according to service documentation repair procedures. The required part numbers are accessed from a parts list section included within the documentation. In some instances, when a machine's configuration has been altered due, for example, to retrofits, service personnel must determine which one of several similar, but functionally different, components are required. Typically, this involves reviewing change-tag information, which is included on a printed medium within the machine (e.g., attached as a label on an inner door panel). When a retrofit or configuration change is involved, the change-tag information label is manually scored once the parts are installed in order to keep track of the updated module hardware configuration.
Once the most current part number is identified, the parts order is transmitted (e.g., via telephone) to a distribution center. More specifically, the order is first transmitted to a local parts distribution center. If the part is not available locally, the order is forwarded to a regional distribution center. If the part is not available regionally, the order is then forwarded to a national distribution center. If the national distribution center does not have the part in stock, the part is retrieved from a manufacturing line. Once the part is found, the part is forwarded to the field for installation in the machine.
Traditionally, the service documentation repair procedures have been embodied in printed form (e.g., in a repair manual). Repair manuals, which include exploded views of each component and sub-component within a machine, are often times at least several inches thick. Determining a correct part number for a component to be replaced requires reviewing the exploded views within the repair manual to identify the component itself or a sub-assembly that includes the component. Next, the change-tag information is consulted for determining if the identified part number has become obsolete (e.g., the vendor supplying the part has changed) because a materials change was made (e.g., if the useful life of the part was not as long as expected), the vendor supplying the part changed, or the technology has been updated so that a different part is now being used. In some cases, one change precipitates another.
As one can easily imagine, the process described above may be time consuming while the potential for human-error is great. For example, it is not unforeseeable that the wrong part number is inadvertently identified by the technician within the exploded view of the machine. Furthermore, such a mistake may not be discovered until the part arrives at the site of the machine. In that case, the ordering process would need to begin again. Consequently, the down-time of the machine may be doubled. Additionally, the cost, in terms of both money and time, for maintaining the documentation, including the change-tag information, is substantial.
The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus and method which overcomes the above-referenced problems and others.